Fiji, India to promote bilateral tourism

Fiji and India have formalised an agreement on tourism industry cooperation, which would envisage the creation of a joint tourism committee in a couple of months to explore avenues of enhancing trade and tourism relations between the two countries, according to Mahendra Pal Chaudhry, minister for finance (national planning and sugar industry) of Fiji.

Addressing the 'Look South 2007' conference, Chaudhry said, "Fiji and India are looking towards identifying and addressing impediments to tourism development between the two countries."

These include improving and enhancing air connectivity and also raising awareness about what Fiji has to offer to Indian travellers. Fiji has already in place with India an air services agreement.

However, the Fiji government will endeavour to upgrade this to an 'open skies agreement' similar to that which India has in place with the US and UK and is currently negotiating with Asean, he added.